Peddler's Cross

i think d mccain doesnt know himself but more than likely he will be goin over 2 to 2miles 4. he says that the horse doesnt need further and prob wont improve for it. very exciting horse but id love a rematch at somestag to see if i can get closer to him!

strat is fighting fifth

it will be an interestin route if nothing else. this is a very competitive area though and if it turns out he isnt able to win these races will he go chasing

if he can't cut it against the 2 milers...he'll step up to the stayers

i reckon hed give big bucks a good go

someone needs to

i think if he challenged for the lead on the opposite rail to big bucks he have em.... big bucks bein lazy n all that

Thanks all, sounds as though provisional target is the CH. Would personally rather he took on the Bucks.

me too

i think it will end up that way...can't see him dealing with the top 2 milers....in the ballymore it was finians rainbow who was hacking all over the fied for most of the way before being outstayed....look again at the final half mile and peddlers got tapped for toe at one point, but then the stamina started to kick in...don't think he would be comfortable in a helter skelter champion on the likely going.

and then theres me, going to make a top class chaser

no argument from me duffy - hope you're right

Duffy - you make a really valid point RE Finian's Rainbow being the one cantering all over them. However, I'm not convinced Peddler's was tapped for toe, from what I remember he just came off the bridle for a stride or two after a couple of hurdles. He may well not be able to live with the sheer pace of the likes of Binocular and Hurricane Fly in the Champion Hurdle, but I see a lot of Hardy Eustace in him, travelling well with the pace the whole way and then just finding even more to refuse to be ground down.

i dont take the travelling all over them stuff. its easy to travell well but if you dont finda great deal off the bridle then t doesnt matter. its easy to say a drop back in trip would be the makings of him but i dont see it. harchibald travelled well

Personally think this will win the CH. Looking forward to it running more than any other horse.

harchibald travelled well

And bl00dy near won the race,only a shorthead from beating two tough classy horses.

As for PC,should imo go for the CH,why not??

its an example of the best traveller in the business and not even winning. and finians rainbow is similar only doesnt travell as strongly

Take your point,but Harchibald won a fair few races.
Horses that travel well often win,sometmes dont,dont really see what this has to do with PC targets

ah no its just finnians rainbow was in the neptune(like pc) and sum1 brought it up. they said that hed b good 4 d arkle cos he travelled so well until a few furlongs out. Just sayin that you can travel all over everythin but if u find notin off the bridle its not worh a whole lot. finnians not proven to find much extra in the rke just bcos hes stepped back in trip

Watching his win again on RUK last night I was struck by the lack of pace he seemed to show until the final hill. Reve de Sivola would surely have won over 2 furlongs less and he is a stayer as well. I think that PC is very good but he has not shown me that he has the pace to go to the top over 2 miles.

You've entirely missed the point, Reve.

The point is that for Finian's to have been travelling so well at that stage of the race shows he has very good tactical speed/cruising speed, and therefore could be effective at shorter trips. Whether he found anything off the bridle is besides the issue.

oh rite sorry

The Owner wants the Champion  !!!..... "The Peddlar" could have won 20 lengths at Cheltenham, a true machine . 17/1 is outstanding bet for the Ch HurdleIMO, the Newcastle straight will suit him down to the ground and his price will half after the Fighting Fifth victory.  Make no mistake this is an exciting horse!!!

Agree he is an exciting horse,and i have backed him for the CH at 24 on the strength of that.But he still has to prove against the top 2 milers,and would not want to get too carried away just yet.Binocular will be real tough to beat.

For me PC is the most exciting horse in training. I look forward to his return in the Fighting Fifth and think he is a serious player in Champion Hurdle.

Shropshire, how do you explain that PC was under max pressure but still losing ground until they turned for home? He didn't look as if he would have even beaten those staying novices over 2 miles to me. An admirable horse that I backed on the day but every time I watch the replay he looks beat after jumping the second last.

Hope he goes for the champ hurdle - an oustanding horse in my opinion already and its not unusual for the winner of the "Neptune" to come back and win the CH - Istabraq and Hardy Eustace both did it and while they are 2 clearly wonderful horses I'm hoping Peddlers can emulate them, then go and win an Arkle maybe....

this is a good horse but will never beat Binocular in a Champ hurdle - will be done for pace

Personally I think it's a mistake keeping him over hurdles, the horse was bred to be a chaser and he shaped like he'd make a damn fine one at that. Another year over hurdles will only set him back and allow him to develop bad habits, this years Arkle is starting to look like it could be there for the taking too.

totally agree with the above

PC beat a decent lot that day at Cheltenham off a muddling pace, then did it again  at Aintree( how many horses do that ) Went through the gears at Chelters and will love the Newcastle long straight. Even the 6 a place for Cheltenham is like buying money , isnt it ?  Great back to lay for the Champion for you  doubters !!

how on earth can anybody fancy peddlers cross for the champion,he'd have absolutely ZERO chance of winning given hes a son of OSCAR,when was the last time a son of OSCAR won a top class hurdle race,if ever there was one?having said that,he'd have half a chance were the champion hurdle ran in a bog!

Is the Grade 1 Neptune Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival not a top class hurdle race please?

yes it absolutely is. many horses that finished back in the field are now at the top end f many antepost betting markets ie the rsa and arkle

WAF- Oscar has done a few grade 1 hurdle winners albeit mostly novices. I would think Silent Oscar winning the Champion at Punchestown must count for you though!

JOIST,since when was the NEPTUNE NOVICES HURDLE run over 2 miles please??

WAF - with respect, I think people are just responding to your question/assertion 'when was the last time a son of OSCAR won a top class hurdle race, if ever there was one?'.

my sincerest apologies l'escargot,u are correct,but i meant over 2 miles,considering my point was about him not winning a champion hurdle,i thought that may have been obvious

good man waf. theres not many on here that appologise when theyre wrong. full credt to u

I actually agree with you - don't think PC should be aimed at the Champion Hurdle, but what his Festival target is promises to be one of the great discussion points of the season for everyone who loves NH racing. An exciting prospect.

world hurdle/ rsa imo

L'Escargot, correct.

Was at Donald McCains a few weeks ago for a stable visit (got a syndicate horse) and of PC he said, “it's scary how good he is !” Will start off the season at the Fighting Fifth, will not be going for the £1m bonus as Donald emphatically emphasised he will not run at Kempton. All roads lead to the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Also likely to be joining Peddlers in the Champion Hurdle is Overturn as this is the most suitable race at the Festival for both.

Don't shoot the messenger can only tell you what he said !

There is no £1m bonus anymore...

Oooops didn't realise that, thanks Stormey

it will only be a great discussion point until the fighting fifth has been run imo.

I did say !!! doubters ..  Owner lives about 10 mins from me and is very,very wealthy, nothing to do with prize money, all about the kudos.

where did the dosh come from???

FARMERS/LAND

hmm. im goin to try and beat him!!